2001 Volvo S40 Vehicle speed control Problems
- Complaints
- 9about this part
- Share
- 11%of 84 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 90,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 9 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 2001 Volvo S40, 11% of the 84 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 90,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My 2001 Volvo S40 has accelerating on it's own, whether it is in park, drive or neutral mode. This has been happening on and off but most recently for the past two weeks. My mechanic has not been able to resolve the issue. Very dangerous situation.”
NHTSA complaint #10355937, filed 2010-09, 125,000 miles“I'd like to report unintended acceleration in my Volvo S40. It started last summer and occurred sporadically until winter and has not occurred since then. No repairs were made during this time and I have not taken it to the dealer. Several times last summer I experienced sudden acceleration that required extra hard breaking to make the car come to a complete stop. The car seemed to be giving itself gas even while I was braking to come to a stop, requiring that I press the brake extra hard. This problems sounds similar to what we are hearing in the news about toyotas.”
NHTSA complaint #10308527, filed 2010-02, 90,000 miles“Consistent engine problems with 2001 Volvo S40 resulting in engine delays, idling, pausing, over heating and burning while on the freeway and at both accelerated (65 MPH) and residential (35 MPH) speeds.”
NHTSA complaint #10146258, filed 2005-12, 75,500 miles“I purchased a Volvo for their reputation on safety. So why does our Volvo have an acceleration problem? I could be at a stop light and the car revs up to 2000 RPM's and starts to go with my foot on the brake with me almost hitting the car in front of me then when we first start up the car the brakes don't work? The car still rolls. What's going on with Volvo their making me think their just as bad as toyota!”
NHTSA complaint #10449907, filed 2012-03“The contact stated the vehicle lost power while driving 50 MPH and entered the limp home mode. The vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, who was unable to determine the problem. The manufacturer was also notified. There was a NHTSA recall #06v441000, which pertains to the vehicle speed control. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the VIN.”
NHTSA complaint #10175767, filed 2006-12, 94,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10157889Feb 14, 2019This is a Technical Journal: When sensitive information, like vehicle speed, brake usage, etc. (customer behavoiur information) of a car is required from Volvo Car Corporation…
Vehicle speed control: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 20% |
| 2008 | 3 | 19% |
| 2007 | 2 | 8% |
| 2006 | 2 | 3% |
| 2005 | 1 | 1% |
| 2004 | 4 | 8% |
| 2003 | 2 | 11% |
| 2002 | 1 | 4% |
| 2001 | 9 | 11% |
| 2000 | 17 | 14% |
Other parts of the 2001 Volvo S40
27 complaintsEngine cooling
12 complaintsElectrical system
10 complaintsAir bags
7 complaintsFuel system
6 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
6 complaintsEngine
5 complaintsBody and structure
5 complaintsExterior lighting
4 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
4 complaintsEquipment
3 complaintsOther or unknown
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2001 Volvo S40
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology